Catalyst
by SciFiScribe
Summary: Complete. LeeKara angst and a hint of romance. M for mature situations.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: The Characters are not mine; I'm just tweaking them for a minute.

**Warnings**: Spoilers sort of, for the second half of season two – some are confirmed, some aren't, but there is some important stuff in the stories that came from spoiler speculation.

**Rating** **– M**, not so much for the first chapter, but the chapters to come. Mature situations. There will be smut, and lots of it, but not yet.

**A/N** – First attempt at fan fic, and I start writing a behemoth. I hope you like it; please offer me any constructive criticism you can find – my proofreader hubby won't read it, due to the spoilers.

**Catalyst **

**Chapter One**

_Catalyst: One that precipitates a process or event, especially without being involved in or changed by the consequences_

"I saw you on that broadcast. With the towel…?" The woman runs a finger, nail partially covered by chipped tomato red enamel, suggestively around the rim of her glass. She looks like she is comfortable in places such as this, with the stench of old ambrosia and desperation so thick he imagines the Geminon hardwood of the bar to be permeated to it's smallest knot with the smell.

He has seen his fair share of dive bars over the years. And more than a few women who used the watering holes to find a quick, soulless frak. The woman beside him was now leaning into him, walking two fingers up his arm.

"I'm sure every girl in the fleet wants to get in your flight suit." As her fingers reach his shoulder she flattens her hand and runs it up the side of his neck, eventually cupping the side of his face. "I'm sure it takes one hell of a talented woman to satisfy the mighty Apollo."

He looks into her eyes, amused by the challenge he sees in them. A few more drinks and she might be softened enough around the edges to be considered attractive. He knows he will hate himself in the morning, but at the moment he just needs to feel _something_. He needs to remind himself that he is alive, and a whole person. The past weeks he has felt like some sort of specter, floating through the motions of his responsibilities, barely registering his own needs, let alone doing anything about them. He eats when the hunger pains got distracting, he sleeps when his body cannot physically be awake any longer. Many nights, instead of sleeping, he creeps down to the rec and pounds the heavy bag until his knuckles crack and bleed. Still, he feels little. This woman, whose name he isn't sure if he heard and is positive he won't remember, could be a way to pass some time. He gulps the last of his drink, suppressing a shiver as the stale alcohol hits his palate with a sting. He catches the bartender's eye and raises two fingers, waving them between him and his "date."

The part of him that is the Man-He-Wants-To-Be is screaming out to him to stop now, before he takes the next step, before he ends up in one more woman's bed, plotting his exit before he even rolls off of her. Warning him of the self-loathing that will wash over him, the revulsion that he once again gave into this side of himself.

He drinks, again swallowing the entire glass in a single chug. Once, twice more he has the bartender refill both glasses. His companion puts her hand on his thigh, and rolls her shoulders forward slightly, giving him a clear view down the front of her blouse. He lets his eyes linger, even though his mind is far away.

"Your quarters far from here?" His voice is uncharacteristically gruff.

She smiles, a wicked, hard smile. "Not far at all, flyboy." She takes his hand and leads him out the door of the makeshift lounge.

He awakens on a cot in a small room off of the hangar bay, head pounding. He vaguely remembers stumbling away from the woman's quarters and the drunken insults she hurled at him from the open doorway. He finds the head and scrubs his face and hands, trying to get rid of the layer of skin that touched her. Glancing up at himself in the mirror, he's shocked. His cheeks are sunken slightly and covered with a rough scrabble of beard, there are deep, dark circles under his eyes. He knows this is killing him, and he doesn't care.

He arrives back at Galactica a few hours later, dreading the paperwork that he's let pile up on his desk.

"Welcome back, sir." The cheerful mechanic greets him as she hands him a clipboard. "The retrofits on the raptors are on schedule, but we're having trouble finding catalyzers for the vipers. The chief needs you to fill out a req form ASAP."

"Thank you. Dismissed." He pretends to leaf through the pages on the clipboard to hasten the mechanics exit.

"You okay, sir?" She asks quietly.

"I said dismissed." He looks at her coldly and raises an eyebrow. She scurries off to the maintenance bay, biting her lip to keep from bursting into tears. He pushes away the feeling of remorse that washes over him. Turning abruptly on his heel, he strides off towards crew quarters.

**Two Weeks Later**

He's in the CAG office, finishing the last of the flight rotations for the next week. He doesn't notice when she walks in until a shadow falls across the surface of his desk.

"Can I help you, Captain?" Even the clip of his words shocks him.

"Um, clearly, no. Sorry to disturb you, Major." She looks at him, eyes wide, shakes her head and leaves.

He knows he should call out to her, to beg her to stay, but he doesn't. She's right about him and she has every right to look at him the way she does. He deserves it. He waits for her to make enough distance down the corridor, grabs his bag from under his desk and heads for the hangar bay.

He's outside the makeshift schoolroom on The Dionysian. He looks in the window, his gaze lingering on the little girl with big blue eyes, holding on to the teacher's skirt as she passes out books to groups of older students. The teacher turns and catches him looking. She gets a slight smile on her face and makes her way to the doorway.

"Major Adama! So nice to see you here. I've told the students you were coming and that you were planning on telling them all about the exciting life of a Viper pilot." She grabs his elbow and begins leading him into the classroom.

"Wait. I'm not here to…" He stammers and tries to shake off her hand gently.

"Yes. You are." She looks at him in the way many of his own teachers had looked at him, and he complies.

Suddenly he's in front of a class of around twenty-five students as ragtag as the fleet itself. The teacher has them divided into groups, with students roughly the same age seated together around tables. With only about 2000 school aged children, and not many teachers, most of the civilian ships had all of their students attending school together in the same classroom, usually a corner in a dining area, an unused storage area, or, in the case of the Dionysian, a trade ship in it's life before the attack, in a conference room.

The teacher, with an enigmatic grin, pulls a pair of empty chairs to the front of the room and motions for him to sit.

"Class, this is Major Adama. He's a pilot. He's been kind enough to stop by and visit with us this afternoon. Major Adama, this is the class. Why don't you start by telling a little about your job?" As she is asking she pulls a coloring book and crayons from a bin and sets them on a low table in a corner of the room. The little girl with blue eyes tags behind her and sits at the table. She leans over the table with intense concentration and begins to color.

"Uhm. Well. I'm the CAG, which stands for Commander of the Air Group, which is just military talk for being in charge of everything related to the Air Defense." He shifts uncomfortably in his seat and hopes this won't take long. He hates speaking off the cuff.

"Okay." The teacher, sensing his discomfort sits in the chair next to him. "Could you tell us some of your responsibilities?" She smiles at him, and he relaxes a little, in spite of himself.

"Uh, yeah. I mean, um, yes." He winces. "I try to keep the air team going. We fly a continual patrol around the perimeter of the fleet, so I schedule which pilots fly each patrol. " He stops and takes a breath. An older girl in the back of the group raises her hand. "Yes?"

"Who's flying now?" She asks. "Which pilots?"

"Racetrack and Starbuck. Why?"

"Oh my gods! I love Starbuck!" the girl squeals. He laughs a little, knowing how Kara would respond if she knew she had a fan club. He feels his chest tighten, as it always does when he thinks of her, and the laugh is choked away.

"Me too," sighs a boy across from the fan. The look on his face brings the whole class to laughter, the teacher and Lee included. After a few seconds, the teacher raises her hand and the class settles down.

"Major, I think what we're trying to say is that we're glad we have such incredible people out there watching over us." She pats his hand, which he hadn't noticed was gripping the arm of his chair tightly. "Thank you for keeping us safe."

"Yeah, thanks, man. Uh, Major." A boy in the back nods at him.

"We wouldn't be here without you." A girl in the front.

"My mom says you're heroes." Another girl, younger.

"Do you get scared?" The blue-eyed girl has stopped coloring and is looking intently at him. He meets her gaze and a wave of terror-guilt-anguish-somethingelse-somethingmorepowerful washes over him. He feels something break inside him.

"Yes. Every day." He looks down quickly. The teacher's hand squeezes his, almost imperceptibly. She stands.

"I think we've kept Major Adama away from his much-earned downtime long enough, class. Maybe we can get him back in here another day." She starts to clap and the class joins her enthusiastically. He stands, nods and heads for the door. The teacher follows him to the corridor.

"What was that all about?" He snaps at her, out of range of the students. "I never agreed to… How did you know I would even … What do you know about P…."

"About Paya? Quite a bit. You'll meet me in the lounge in two hours and I'll tell you everything I know." She turns and walks back into the classroom, leaving him in the corridor alone.

**One Month Earlier**

"Kara. I really need to talk to you." His voice is strained. He is in shock.

"Of course, Lee. What's up?" She turns from her locker to look at him. "Gods, Lee, what the frak is wrong? You look like hell."

He can't help it. He sobs. Desperately trying to regain the control he needs, he swings his fist into his own locker. The skin on his knuckles breaks and he doesn't feel the pain. "I did something horrible. Something unforgivable."

Somehow he manages to tell her the whole tale. At the beginning she is wrapping his shredded knuckles, then she is kneeling in front of him, then she is turning away pulling her breath in through her teeth.

"I never took you for a coward, Lee Adama," she hisses, disgust in her eyes. "Get out." He knows then. He deserves every ounce of contempt she can throw at him and more. He leaves. And he starts to shut down.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: The Characters are not mine; I'm just tweaking them for a minute.

**Warnings**: Spoilers sort of, for the second half of season two – some are confirmed, some aren't, but there is some important stuff in the stories that came from spoiler speculation.

**Rating** **– M**, still no smut, but some adult situations.

**A/N** – Thanks for the review! Hope you enjoy this chapter. It's a shorty, sort of a segue way to bring some loose ends closer together.

**Chapter 2**

**Present**

She stands when he walks into the lounge. He scowls. He pulls his shoulders back and lifts his head as he lengthens his strides to reach her table.

"I suggest you start explaining yourself right now. I don't like games, and I don't like being manipulated," he hisses at her with teeth clenched.

"If you'll sit, Major, I intend to do just that." Unfazed by his anger, the teacher holds out an arm to indicate the chair closest to him. He sits, reluctantly. She joins him and pulls a picture from her bag. "I'm not playing games with you." She hands him the picture.

It's not a recent photo; in it the little girl is only an infant and is being held by her mother. He feels a pang of sadness that he swallows quickly. Regaining his stiff, angry posture he looks at the woman across from him. "Get started."

"My name is Raisa. I was Gianne's roommate when Paya was born. Her parents and mine have been friends for many years; when she left you, her mother called and asked if she could stay with me. They stayed until a few months after this picture was taken, when Gianne got involved with Shevon." She pauses, letting the first part of her story to sink in. "We also have some mutual friends. That's how I knew you were going to be here today. I apologize for dragging you into the classroom, but I figured it was the only way to get you to talk to me. You aren't exactly approachable."

"Go on."

"I lost touch with Gianne after she moved. She stopped calling her parents and essentially broke all contact with everyone she knew. I had an inkling of the kind of people she was involved with, but I never tried to find her. Gianne was always very private, I don't think she would have been found easily." She pauses again and looks at him for a moment, he looks ready to swing a punch, jump out of his skin and collapse, all at the same time. She feels for him, knows what he has been put through recently. "The next I heard, she had been arrested. Gianne's parents tried, in vain, to locate Paya when her mother was sent to prison. I even went to the prison to speak with her, hoping that she would let something slip. Gianne confided in me a great deal while we were living together, I thought maybe…" She trails off.

"She sold her to Shevon." His voice is cold. The heartless bitch had sold his daughter to a prostitute. Shevon had told him that herself, right before she had one of her goons break three of his ribs. The ever-present voice in his head reminds him it is just as much his fault as Gianne's. His self-imposed emotional filters are failing. He feels all of the rage, sorrow and hopelessness that he's been attempting to suppress since he learned of his daughter's existence.

**Six Weeks Earlier**

"Paya, this is your daddy." She says as she draws her pistol on him. The little girl sits, as quiet and stony as a statue, and doesn't look up. She blinks and shivers slightly when she hears Shevon cock the gun.

"Surprised, Lee?" she asks, as she walks closer to him. "Her momma and I were friends. I think you know her – Gianne Reed?" He draws in his breath sharply. "You broke her heart, left her alone and pregnant. Lucky she had friends like me who could find a girl some work." She whistles sharply and a group of large, armed men join them in the small room on the Prometheus. "You're a joke, Captain Apollo, and a sorry excuse for a man. Thing is, you know some people who can get me what I want, and you and my very own piece of Adama lineage over there might be worth them giving it to me."

He starts toward Shevon, only to be restrained by the two largest of her companions.

"She's mine, alright. You're girlfriend sold her to me for bail money and a bottle of stims." She nods at a third goon and his world goes black.

**Present**

"Major Adama, Paya is okay. I've taken her to the doctor and a counselor; she's going to be fine. No one hurt her physically. She's young and very resilient. She's not going to remember any of this in a few years." She sees the pain in his eyes and her heart breaks for him. She sees a flash of relief wash over his face. "She's been with me since the Prometheus. I saw her on the news broadcast of Shevon's arrest and recognized her." She pauses, feeling him out. "She's an amazing kid, Major. I hope you are planning to get to know her. I want to help you do that."

"She doesn't need someone like me in her life." He is looking down. His heart is breaking all over again for the little girl he abandoned. His own father ignored him most of his life, but at least he was there. He didn't even acknowledge his own child for the first four years of her life, and she ended up with Shevon. He was the last thing the poor child needed.

"Major, you are exactly what she needs. The beautiful part of this new world we are living in is that we all get a second chance. This little girl needs a family – I love her like she's my own child, but I'm not her family. You are. It's not too late for you to give her what she needs. I also know that you'll never be able to forgive yourself if you don't."

He takes a long sip of water and nods slightly. He is a tangle of emotion and for the first time in weeks he is acutely aware the pervasiveness of his exhaustion.

"There is more you need to know, Major." She studies him, wondering if he can handle any more news in his current state. "Gianne is not who you thought she was. She was not innocent by any means. What I'm getting at is, well, she set you up. When she got pregnant. Paya is not your daughter."

"What? But you just said I'm her family."

"Paya is Zak's."

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: The Characters are not mine; I'm just tweaking them for a minute.

**Warnings**: Spoilers sort of, for the second half of season two – some are confirmed, some aren't, but there is some important stuff in the stories that came from spoiler speculation.

**Rating** **– M**, adult situations.

**A/N** – Reviews make me smile. Thank you!

Lynnmichelle – Thanky! My mind is twisted – I think this chapter may surprise you. I'm glad you like it so far.

Ria – You are so nice! Thanks for taking the time to drop a review.

Abelard – I'm trying to pull the curtain back slowly. I've worried about the story being confusing myself, – I forget that you all don't know what's still in my head, lol. I hope the story straightens out for you. I really appreciate your comments. Keep 'em coming!

Emily – Aw, shucks. I blush. I'm new to fanfic, and I wanted to put my own spin on things. I'm glad you like it.

Lilrebelgirl – Thanks! I'm glad you like the twist. I hope you like where it's going…

Chapter Three

"Excuse me?" He sputters. He wonders if this is some kind of sick practical joke. He pushes away from the table, his flight instincts humming under his skin.

"Major. Lee. Please hear me out." She looks at him and he searches her face for any hint of deception. He bristles at her use of his first name, but stops his withdraw from the table. "Gianne was a charismatic woman. She could get the attention of a room full of people with a bat of her eyelashes. She thrived on it. Even when we were kids, she always had a boyfriend who would do everything for her. She was a spoiled, pampered, brat who thought the world revolved around her. You knew this. You lived with her."

He nodded, remembering the way she could manipulate him to do just about anything.

"You know she wasn't faithful to you. You had to know." She's looking down now, twisting a napkin between her fingers. She looks up at him briefly over the edge of her glasses.

"I had my suspicions." That wasn't quite true. He knew she ran around on him. She practically bragged to him about it. She flirted shamelessly with every man she met, including his father. The only reason he was with her in the first place was because Zak had asked Kara…. He won't let himself finish that thought. "But, Zak? No. He wouldn't do that. Not to Kar…."

"I can't think of many men who could resist Gianne's charms. I don't know how it happened, but knowing Gianne like I did, I image she was trying to get back at you for something. I know you'll want some proof. She reaches into her bag and removes an envelope and hands it to him. "It's a blood test. Performed by your very own Doc Cottle. Paya is undeniably an Adama, but her blood type matches Zak's. There's no way she can be your daughter. I'm sorry I had to spring all of this on you, Major. Like I said, we have some mutual friends. One of them contacted me and told me how worried they were about you, and knew I could help." She pauses, and pushes another envelope across the table. "I can see you are a good man, Major, and I can see that you are hurting. Pardon me for being so bold, but I think knowing this little girl can help you. I have to go, and I know you need to get back to the Galactica. I know I'll see you again." Raisa rises from her seat and squeezes his shoulder lightly on her way out of the lounge. He tucks the photo and the medical envelope into his pocket and eyes the second envelope the young teacher had given him. He slides a finger under the seal and a single, folded piece of paper falls out. He reads it, and smiles slightly, figuring out the mutual friend he shares with Raisa.

_Go talk to Kara_.

She is waiting for him when he lands. The moment he steps from the last rung of the ladder into his ship, she is hugging him. Before he thinks, he is hugging her, too.

"Lee. I'm so sorry. I was an ass." She whispers her apology into his ear.

"Kara, I need you."

"I'm not going anywhere. Let's move this to your office before we both fall apart in front of the whole damn ship." She grins at him, and he returns her smile.

In the safety of his office, with the door closed, he slides to the floor. Kara slides down next him and wraps her arms around him. He leans into the warmth of her and feels his tenuous hold on his emotions starting to slip. He tries to speak, but barely chokes out her name.

"I know, Lee. I know everything Raisa told you. I know about Paya." She stokes his hair and holds him. They sit like this for what seems like hours, arms around each other, tears flowing, clinging to each other. Slowly, they separate. She reaches up and brushes away the tears on his cheeks tenderly. "It's going to be okay, Lee. We're going to figure this out. Together." She takes both of his hands in hers and squeezes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer –** These people did not originate in my imagination, although they seem to be there a lot nowadays, so I make no claims on 'em.

**Rating – M**. Keep on keepin' on, the rating is going to be worth it soon, like, really, really soon.

**A/N –** I got stuck in the worst kind of way on this story. I hope this pleases.

Reviewer Smooches – 

_Aleja_ – I'm glad! Here it is.

_Abelard_ – This chapter should give you a good L/K fix. ;-)

_Emily_ – Ha! You pegged me. Can you imagine, though? All those poor lonely women on the fleet, seeing a glimpse of that fine, fine pilot when they showed the clip – I bet there would be a stampede of women with chipped polish all over him.

_Lilrebelgirl_ – Thanks!

_Midnightair_ – You make me blush. The check is in the mail.

_Greensleeves_ – Your story blows me away. I love how you've used this same bit of info to weave such a great story. Thanks for commenting on mine.

_Nytel_ – I'm glad you decided to read it. It's more a hint of spoiler then any kind of big reveal. Thanks for the sweet reviews.

Chapter Four 

He is grateful for her and at the same time ashamed that he has broken down so completely in front of her. His pride seems extra fragile in her presence, and as much as he trusts her, he feels the slightest twinge of angst that once again she has swooped in to save him. He scoots away from her embrace, then rises quickly to his feet. He tries, vainly, to regain his composure. Surprised, she stands and raises an eyebrow.

"Kara, I…" He starts, wanting to remove himself as quickly as possible.

"Lee. Don't be weird." She puts a finger on his lips. "And don't you dare try to shut me out again."

Her finger presses lightly into his skin, he hopes she doesn't notice the shiver it sends through him. He instantly chastises himself for even allowing his body to react to her touch. He closes his eyes, maybe if he isn't looking at her, he thinks, maybe he'll stop wanting to reach out and touch her face, stop needing to feel her smooth ivory skin under his hands, stop wanting to feel her underneath him. His brain is telling him to run while he still has half a chance, but every nerve under his skin and every instinct in him is telling him to stay. Her finger drops from his lips and he exhales.

He lets his eyes open, to find her standing within inches of him. As if pulled by gravity, he grabs her shoulders and pulls her into him. When his mouth hits hers it is desperate, searching, rough. At first, she is too shocked to respond, then she is kissing him as intensely as she has ever kissed anyone. He pushes her against the door behind her and presses his body into hers. She writhes against him, breaking the kiss to move her lips down his neck. She feels, more than hears, the low groan in his throat as he slides a hand under her tank to cup a breast. Her breath hisses out in pleasure and he kneads the soft flesh under her bra.

He won't let himself think about how he is fraking up the one good thing in his life.

She fumbles with the fasteners on his flight suit until it falls open. He shucks it and kicks it behind him, under the desk. Returning to her, now wearing only shorts and a tank that matches hers, he resumes kissing her. Soon, they are both panting and grasping at each other. Shorts are discarded or pushed out of the way and then he is inside her.

"Kara. Kara. Oh gods what you do to me," he whispers into her neck and his hips rock back and forth. He feels her muscles tense, and she begins to moan, quietly at first, then growing as she nears her peak. He increases his speed and pressure as she digs her nails into his back. Soon she explodes around him, grinding and moaning. White explodes behind his eyes as he joins her release.

And then it's over. And he knows it was a mistake.

He rights his clothing and turns from her, shamed. "You should go," he says gruffly.

"What?" She is hurt, he can see it in her eyes. He puts on his coldest face, the one he reserves for the women he "entertains" on his shore leaves. Recognition washes over her face. He sees tears spring into her eyes before she quickly blinks them away. Her own reserve comes down around her like a curtain.

"We're done here, right?" He asks, moving to sit at his desk. When she doesn't move he nods at the door. "That's still the only way out."

"Frak you," she says in almost a whisper.

"I think you already did."

She turns on her heel and leaves. He puts his head in his hands and begins to shake. He knows she deserves something better than him. Kara and Paya both deserve better.

…………………………………………………………

Three Days Later 

Raisa pours her old friend a strong drink and squeezes next to her on the small sofa.

"I told you to _talk_ to him Kara," she says with a kind smile.

"I know. I should have stopped it. Now the motherfraker won't even look at me." Kara downs the drink in one gulp. Wrapped up in one of Raisa's quilts, eyes puffy and red, she looks defeated. "Thank you for letting me stay here."

"No problem, doll. Stay as long as you want. It's a little crowded, with me, Paya, the kitten, the turtle and the guinea pig, but you are more than welcome." She squeezes Kara's knee. "Speaking of Paya, she should be back any minute. She'll be glad to see you. After she met you the last time you were here I thought I'd never hear the end of it. 'When's Kara coming back?' 'Can I call Kara?' 'Kara's sooo nice.'" Raisa shakes her head and laughs.

"She's a cool kid." Kara wipes her eyes on the sleeve of her sweatshirt. "I see a lot of Zak in her. She has his smile."

"I wish I had known him better." Raisa pauses for a moment. "Are you angry with him?"

"Zak? Not really. I was at first, but it just seemed silly to be mad at him now. Frak, I made plenty of mistakes when we were together. If he hadn't, well… there wouldn't be a Paya."

As if on cue, the little girl burst through the hatch.

"KARA!" She shouts when she sees her new hero. She springs through the small living area and up onto Kara's lap. "You're here!"

"Hiya, Stinkerbell! I missed you so much I had to come back." Kara hugs the girl tightly.

"Are you okay? Your face is all red and your nose is runny." Paya looks up at Kara with concern. Solemnly, she feels the older woman's forehead. "Are you sick?"

"No, honey. Just dumb. Seeing you makes me feel much better."

"Good. Wanna have play tea party?"

"Sure. I'll bring the pretend brownies."

On her way to the bedroom to get her tea set, Paya turns abruptly and looks intently at Kara.

"You're sad because of Lee. He hurt your heart."

Kara feels her mouth fall open. She turns quickly to Raisa, who smiles just slightly.

"Smart girl, that Paya," Raisa says, winking at Kara.

"It'll be okay, though. He loves you as much as you love him. He just doesn't know it yet." Paya smiles, and continues into the back room.

**TBC ** _Can you guess which character is the Catalyst in the title?_

S.F.S.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Please sit down, Major." She nods to the chair in front of her desk. "I think perhaps we should have a chat."

He sits, but on the edge of the chair. He is dreading this. "What can I help you with Madame President?"

"You can start by telling me why you look like death." She looks at him over her glasses.

"Just tired." He shifts. "Long hours." He hopes this won't drag on.

"I see." She shuffles a few papers on her desk. "So it doesn't have anything to do with spending every off hour you have on the Dionysian? "

"I don't see how that's really your business, Madame President." He looks her in the eye. "What I do in my off time, off of this ship isn't your concern."

"Of course you are allowed to have a life, Major. But when your activities begin reflecting negatively on this office, I have to intervene. Believe me, I'd rather not be having this discussion with you at all."

He swallows. "I didn't realize."

"No, I'm sure you didn't. But it is a small fleet, Major; and everyone in it knows who you are. I don't know how realistic it is for you to expect your private life to remain that way." She lets her statement sink in. "And to be honest, I'm more concerned with why you are being so, how should I say… friendly? You aren't yourself, Major, and it worries me. I understand if you can't talk to me about it, but I hope you are talking to someone. I need you at your best. The fleet needs you at your best."

"Of course, Madame President. Is there anything else?" She studies him for a moment. He really does look terrible. His eyes are rimmed in dark circles and bags that age him ten years. Tension stiffens his jaw and temples. He looks beaten, she thinks, like it's finally all too much for him to process.

"You can go. Please take care of yourself, Apollo." She says the last part as she rises from her chair. He stands and turns to the door, pausing as he reaches for the handle.

"Thank you, ma'am." Then he's gone.

* * *

………………………………………………………

"She's very special," Raina says, picking up random toys after tucking her charge into bed in the next room. "Even when she isn't 'feeling' things, she has this way of seeing right into people. And she's just so … wise." She shakes her head.

"She's a hell of a kid. Especially considering everything she's been through." Kara rolls up from her cross-legged position on the floor to help her friend tidy the tiny space.

"You want to know the weirdest part? She told me that she got through all of it because she knew she was going to end up here, with people who love her. That little girl rips out my heart every day."

"I'm glad you found her. Or did she find you?"

"A little of both, I think." Raina pours two glasses of ice water and fumbles in a drawer. She stops, grins and holds up half a cigar. "Looky what I found! Let's step into the hall."

"Does the school board know their star teacher smokes illegal stogies?" Kara laughs, digging through her pockets for a box of matches. "And used to swear like a longshoreman?"

"Frak! I never fraking swore!" Raina giggles, then guiltily peeks her head in the door to make sure Paya is still safely out of earshot in her room. "Now I just don't fraking swear in front of the kids." Her face is suddenly serious. "Kara. I need your help. Paya can't stay here. If it gets out that she can see things, I don't want to think about what might happen. Half the fleet is going to think she's a prophet…"

"And the other half is going to think she's a cylon." Kara finishes, instinctively checking the corridor for any sign of other people. Feeling her stomach sink, she turns to face her friend. "Gianne?"

"No! No. No. I'm sure she wasn't a cylon." Raina shakes her head vigorously. "Spoiled, unstable and cruel, but not a cylon." Carefully stubbing out the cigar on the sole of her boot, she tucks the butt into her pocket. "Paya has to go with you. To Galactica."

"Uh-uh. Won't work. We have to think of something else."

"What other choice is there, Kara? Who else can protect her? Me? I'm afraid of fraking spiders. Is there anybody else you can think of that you would trust to look out for her?"

They are interrupted when Paya comes running into the hall.

"Kara. You have to go right now. In your viper. He needs you. He won't make it unless you go right now." Paya hands Kara her bag and takes her hand, attempting to pull her towards the hangar.

"Paya, what's going on? What are you talking about?" Kara stops and turns the small girl around to look at her.

"Lee! You have to go help Lee! Right now! You'll know what to do when you get there. Please! Hurry!"

* * *

………………………………………………………………………

The alert came over the PA as he was drifting off to sleep. Pulling himself from the relative warmth of his blankets, he dressed quickly and headed to the hangar deck.

"Lieutenant. SitRep."

"Heavy Raider on a collision course, Sir. Hot Dog and Cat knocked out two others, but sustained heavy damage. They're coming in. You're clear for tube three."

In his viper and taxiing towards the launch tube he hears Cat over the com.

"Galactica. Cat. I'm coming in hot with the Raider right on my tail. My landing gear will not drop. Repeat. Landing Gear failure."

"Galactica. HotDog. Raider has veered off course. It looks like it's going to hit right at tube three."

"Frak." He says quietly under his breath as the launch tube hurls him towards the exit. He can see the raider rushing at him, larger than the tube and sure to rip it clean from the ship. "Oh, Kara. I'm so sorry." He closes his eyes, just as the Raider explodes. The blast sends him back to the entrance of the tube, and the belly of his Viper makes a horrible, squealing sound as it tears across the rough floor.

"Galactica. Starbuck. Raider destroyed, but there's damage to the tube. Get an emergency crew in there!"

He passes out as the cockpit fills with smoke.

* * *

………………………………………………………………

The searing pain in his leg wakes him. He wants to sit up and grab it, but he can't. His eyes feel like they are filled with glass.

"Careful, Major. Your liable to undo some of my handiwork." He forces his eyelids to open. Tears spring to his eyes when they are met with the bright fluorescent light above him. He closes them tightly again. "You cooked your leg pretty good, you bashed your head and your arm is broken. You'll be fine." He hears the doctor walk away. Thinking he is alone, he tries again to sit up. His head pounds intensely and he lies back down.

"You heard Doc Cottle, Lee. Lay still for frak's sake." Kara. Shit, he thinks. He tries to open his mouth to tell her to go away, but can only cough. She is there with a straw to his lips; the cold water is exquisite on his parched tongue. He blinks quickly several times until he can fully open his eyes. She is standing over him, looking, quite frankly, like an angel who was about to kick his ass. "Thank gods you're okay." She drops to the stool beside the cot. "Frak! I can't take any more of this, Lee. I thought you were dead. Again. Godsdamnit, Lee, I can't do this without you. I need you. And whether you want to fraking admit it or not, you need me just as much. And there is a little girl out there who needs both of us, right fraking now. So get the frak over yourself and let me go back to being the crazy one in this relationship. And get better."

"Not fair," he rasps, eyes now blinking with as much shock as pain. "Can't talk back."

"Damn straight. Maybe you'll actually hear me for a change."

"Starbuck. Don't yell at my patients. Makes me cranky." The doctor pokes his head in the curtain.

"I'm done." She sighs and leans over and kisses him gently on the lips before leaving the curtained area.

"Some nurse you got there, Apollo." The doctor disappears behind her.

Lee blinks.

* * *

TBC 


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_He has been in there forever, _she thinks to herself as she jogs past the commander's quarters for what must be the fourth time this morning. She knows they have a lot to discuss, but gods, he's been in there for hours. Leaning against a bulkhead to catch her breath, she stares at the closed door, trying to will it open.

She and Lee had talked late into the night the previous evening, mostly about Paya and Raisa's concerns for her. They skillfully avoided discussing Kara's confrontation the day of his accident, except for their combined obligation to the little girl. Kara had been vague in her description of the girl's abilities, she didn't want to alarm him, but she did fill him in on her talents for knowing things. They had decided together that Lee should talk to his father alone, both to tell him of Paya's existence, and also to see what could be done to protect her. She jogs in place to keep herself warm in the cool air, then turns towards quarters to seek a shower, hoping the two Adama men will have emerged by the time she is finished.

Lee is waiting for her, sitting on her bunk, when she emerges from her shower. She goes to her locker and digs out fresh clothes, slipping them on under the towel she has wrapped around her.

"Well?"

"How do you feel about a new home?" He asks, grinning slightly. "I don't think regs allow four year olds to stay in officer's quarters. Dad arranged for you and Paya to have one of the family suites. You can move in today. Raisa can stay with you for as long as she wants, to help Paya get settled."

"And teach me something about four-year-olds while she's at it." Kara laughs, tickled and scared shitless at the same time. She recites a prayer silently to herself that will become her mantra. _Lords of Kobol, please, please, please don't let me frak this up_. She hugs him, without thinking. He only pauses a second before hugging her back. "Thank you, Lee. And thank your dad." She kisses him lightly on his cheek and pulls away.

He takes her hand in his good one. "Thank you. For everything." He smiles at her, and for the first time in weeks, she sees a glimmer of the old Lee. Her Lee. "They'll be here on Friday, by the way."

"Shit. Uh. I mean um, shoot! I have so much to do. First on the list is to stop swearing." She winks at him. He laughs. She notices he is still holding her hand, so she squeezes his gently. "You're going to love her, Lee."

………………………………………………………………………………

Later that day she is sitting cross-legged on the floor of the living area of her new quarters, looking through a box of goodies gathered by the crew when they learned a little girl was about to join the crew. A box of colored pencils, a few pads of paper, a teddy bear with a viper patch from the gift shop-that-wasn't, a handful of picture books; Kara looks through the contents with interest. Feeling inspired, she doodles a sign for Paya's door, complete with flowers and butterflies. Kara giggles at the girlieness of the result. _Who'd of thunk it?_ She looks up from her masterpiece when she hears a knock at the door.

"Hi." He grins. "I brought you a housewarming gift." He holds out a scraggly plant.

"Lee! I love it! Is it dead?" She takes the sad little fern and sticks a pinky in the dirt. "Nope, just thirsty. Come on in, you're my first guest." She stands aside so he can hobble in. "I haven't found much in the way of furniture yet, but you're welcome to the folding chair." She carries the pot to the small bathroom off the back of the living space and gives it a burst of water from the sink. She places it ceremoniously in the middle of the makeshift table. "I think the little fella is perking up already." She returns to her seat on the floor.

"This isn't bad," he says, looking around the small space. "I have to say, it's nicer than your place on Caprica." He chuckles.

"Amen to that." She laughs with him. "I like it. There are two bedrooms, our own bath… I feel like a queen."

"Kara, I, uh, wanted, to, um… apologize…" She doesn't think she's ever seen him stammer. "For that night. In my office." He looks up at her and his eyes are pleading.

"Are you sorry we…"

"No." He answers very quickly, and there is a slight tremble in his voice, remembering. "I'm sorry I was such a prick." His voice lowers. "Every time I thought I was going to fall in these past weeks, you were there to catch me. And no matter how hard I kicked and screamed ... you just held on. Kara, I don't deserve you, and if I were you I'd never speak to me again."

"Good thing you're not me." She stands and moves behind the chair where he sits. She wraps her arms around him, careful to avoid his broken arm, and holds him tight. She whispers in his ear, " And when are you going to realize that we save each other?" He turns to her and kisses her. He melts. When their lips part, she rests her forehead against his and strokes the side of his face. "Face it, Adama. You're stuck with me." She holds his face for a moment longer. "Okay, mister. Out. You need your rest and I need to go get in on a game of triad will I still can. I only have a few more days of utter irresponsibility." He grins and she laughs.

………………………………………………………………………

Kara feels about as nervous as a cylon in a magnet factory, waiting for Raisa and Paya's shuttle to arrive on Friday afternoon. When she finally gets the call, she darts through the corridors at a sprint. Turning into the landing bay, she sees Paya hopping from the last step of the ladder. The little girl grins and looks over at her, then runs toward her at full tilt.

"Karrrrrra!" She leaps and lands with her arms tightly around Kara's neck. Kara spins the girl around. "Weeeee!" On the ground again, Paya looks up at her friend. "I'm so glad I'm going to stay with you." Kara notices something pass over the little girl's face, before she whips around as Lee enters the bay, followed by his father. "Lee! Grandpa!" The older Adama looks momentarily shocked at his new moniker, but his face soon breaks into the grin of a man besotted. Paya skips over to charm the two men and Kara turns to find Raisa grinning behind her.

"You ready for this, Thrace?" Raisa asks, hugging her friend.

"I think I might just be." She turns back to watch Paya, who is giggling as she plays with Lee.

"Bet that scares the shit out of you."

Kara laughs. "You have no idea."

………………………………………………………………………

As grateful as she is for her friend's help, Kara finds herself a bit relieved when Raisa decides to return to the Dionysian a few days later.

"Substitutes are hard to find these days. Mine is 87 and could seriously go at any minute. I can't imagine what my students have done to the poor old woman." Raisa hugs Kara tightly. "You're gonna do great, kid. Call me anytime." She turns to Paya and Kara notices tears in both of their eyes. "I'll miss you, sugarplum. Take good care of Lee and Kara for me." She hugs the little girl tightly and turns quickly to board the shuttle.

Kara and Paya turn and look at each other, and Kara's panic sets in. _Frak,_ she thinks. _It's my first moment as this child's guardian and I already can't think of anything to say._ A moment goes by, Paya shuffles her feet and looks up expectantly at Kara. She ponders yelling at the deck crew to cancel Raisa's flight for just a few more days when Lee enters the bay.

"Hello, ladies." He chivalrously kisses Paya's hand. Paya cuts her eyes at Kara and raises an eyebrow until he kisses Kara's hand as well, trying very hard not to laugh. "I was wondering if you two would like to join me for lunch?" Kara is amazed at the change in him. Paya has done something for them both that she can't put a finger on, but Lee is a new man. He smiles, he laughs; she even caught him whistling while he was doing paperwork. He is completely enchanted with Paya, and the feeling is mutual.

"Great idea." Paya takes Lee's good hand, and one of Kara's, and leads them to the mess. She feels the love growing between them, and she is very happy. She knows they will need each other soon. _Things are about to get really scary. _ Unconsciously, she squeezes both hands. They look down at her simultaneously, matching worried expressions on their faces. She beams up at them. Now is not the time to tell them what is to come.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Soon, he is spending most of his free time in Kara's quarters. He still has a week until he can fly again, so he watches Paya while Kara is on duty, or at least that's how he explains it to himself. The truth is, he usually lingers for several hours after Kara returns. The peace that washes over him, when he is leaning against Kara with Paya on their laps, is like nothing he's ever experienced.

Tonight he is dozing in the armchair Paya charmed out of Tigh, she is curled warm in his lap, the book they were reading open across his chest when she comes in. She stops for a long moment, watching them sleep. Paya is wearing her tiara, fashioned out of wire and a pile of costume jewelry donated by the females on board, and her t-shirt with a viper patch sewn on front. Paya has confided to Kara that she plans to be the fleet's first princess-slash-viper pilot, and Kara doesn't doubt for a second that she will succeed. Feeling her eyes on him, he stirs and smiles sleepily at her.

"Hi." He whispers.

"Hi yourself." She bends and kisses him lightly, then scoops the sleeping girl into her arms.

"Kara. You're home. We had spaghetti. Did you know Lee can cook? He's really good, too." Paya wiggles in Kara's arms. "Lee! Come read to me."

Two stories later, they close the door to Paya's room and return to the living area.

"Spaghetti, huh?"

"I saved you a little. It took a little creativity, but it tastes almost like the real thing." He pulls a plate from under a towel on the table. She spears a bite and nods fervently while she chews.

"Holy crap, Lee. This is really good." He grins and blushes and she thinks he is adorable. "You've been holding out on me." She makes quick work of the dish.

"I wanted to open a restaurant. Before…"

"Really? I can see that." She nods. "Plus I bet you'd look really hot in a chef's hat." She grins when he blushes again.

He kisses her lightly. "I like this."

"Me too." She returns a kiss, a little deeper. They meet each other's eyes, and he steps back.

"I should go." He kisses her again, and heads for the door. He wishes he didn't have to leave, but they swore they would do this right. And slow. Very, very slow.

………………………………………………………………………………

"KARA!"

She bolts upright in her bed and is in Paya's room in seconds. "I'm here. What's wrong?"

"I had a bad dream!" She is sobbing and clutching her teddy bear.

"It's okay, sweetie. It's all over now." She kneels next to the bed and strokes Paya's hair.

"No it's not." Kara feels her stomach drop.

"Do you want to tell me about your dream?"

"No."

"Okay, you don't have to. Do you want me to sit here for a little while?" The girl nods.

"Love you, Kara."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

……………………………………………………………………………

Lee comes by early the next morning, so Kara can go out for a run.

"Paya's still asleep," she tells him. "She had a nightmare last night. She wouldn't tell me about it, though, and I could tell it really scared her. Will you try to talk to her? Maybe she'll feel more comfortable talking to you."

"Of course." He hugs her. "It looks like you didn't get much sleep yourself."

"That's nothing new." She laughs. " I don't think I've had a good night sleep since the world ended." She stretches lightly and heads out the door, hoping the run will shake the feeling of dread she's had in the pit of her stomach since Paya woke her the night before.

Within seconds of Kara leaving, Paya comes out from her room, still clutching her bear.

"Hi, Lee."

"Hi, peanut."

"I had a bad dream."

"Kara told me. You wanna talk about it?"

"No, but I have to." Her lower lip begins to quiver.

"Maybe a glass of milk will help?" He pours her a small glass. She takes it gratefully and somberly. She sits down at the table, with a now-thriving fern in the center, and wraps her small hands around the glass. She takes a deep breath and raises her eyes to him.

"Bad people are coming. They want me to come with them so I can tell them things, but I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you and Kara." She sobs.

"Paya, Kara and I will never, ever let anyone take you away from us."

"But they'll hurt you. I saw it."

He gathers her into a hug. "Sweetheart, we'll never let anyone hurt you. We love you more than any two people have ever loved a little girl in the whole universe. And know what? That love makes us strong enough to take care of anyone who tries to come between us."

"Really?"

"Definitely." He hugs her tightly. He feels her relax, a little, and she smiles up at him. Gently, to avoid scaring her any more, he asks, "Do you know where the bad people are? Maybe we can stop them, before they get here."

"I don't know. It's far away, but they're getting closer." She pauses, and her voice lowers. "They don't think you can stop them."

"They obviously don't know how much we love you." He, himself, is shocked by how quickly he lost his heart to the sweet-faced urchin in front of him. He would take on an entire army of centurions single-handedly before he would let a freckle on her nose be harmed. He knew Kara felt the same, if not stronger, and he pitied any person or thing that tried to separate Kara from the little girl. "Why don't you go get ready to go? When Kara gets back we'll go have breakfast, okay?" She nods and walks into her room.

Kara returns a few minutes later. "What's wrong?" she asks, before even closing the door behind her.

"I think we may have a situation."

……………………………………………………………………………

_She is hunched under her bunk, trying not to make any noise. She is supposed to hide here. She hears loud noises in the front room, yelling and crashing. She hears Lee call out to Kara, and then she hears Kara cry out, then she hears silence. She is shaking when the door to her room opens…she tries to scream, but her voice won't work._

She wakes to find both of them there, sitting on the side of her bed. She is so relieved she cries. They gather her up and whisper to her. She is snuggled between them, an arm wrapped around each of their necks. Slowly, her sobs subside and she relaxes against them. Kara smoothes back her hair and gives her small kisses on the top of her head. Her eyelids get heavy again, and she dozing off when they tuck her back into her bunk.

"Love you, Paya." They leave her door cracked.

……………………………………………………………………

"Hello, Paya, I'm very glad to meet you." Laura holds out her right hand to the little girl. "My name is Laura."

"Hi." The little girl eyes her with a bit of suspicion.

"Do you like living on the Galactica?"

"Yes." Paya raises an eyebrow at the woman, who laughs, noticing how much the expression makes her look like Captain Thrace.

"Do you know why I wanted to see you?"

"You see things. Like I do."

"Yes, sometimes I do." Laura looks at her carefully. "Sometimes the things I see are pretty scary."

"Me too." The little girl sighs. "It's hard to see the scary stuff. Being with Kara and Lee helps. Maybe you could talk to them when you get scared."

"I might just do that." She swallows a chuckle. "I hear you have many friends onboard."

"Yeah." Paya grins. "Uncle Saul is teaching me how to play Triad, but don't tell Kara."

Laura laughs, not bothering to hide it this time. "You are a very special little girl, Paya. I'm glad you're happy here." Paya laughs, too, and her blue eyes sparkle.

"I like it here a lot." Her face gets serious. "I don't want anybody to get hurt, when the bad people come."

"Do you think they're coming soon?"

"Yes," Paya whispers. "They're afraid of something I know."

"What do you mean?"

"When I get older, I'm going to know how to stop them."

**TBC **


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

_She looks up at the door as it opens. Someone walks up to the bunk, his feet just inches from her. She swallows hard to avoid whimpering out loud. A hand reaches under the bunk and grabs her elbow. She scrapes her back on a bolt, as she is drug from her hiding spot. The man looks at her briefly, and then makes his way back to the front room. She sees Kara first, bleeding in the corner. Lee is just inside the door, laying on his stomach and not moving. The man carries her to the corridor. She is too scared to move_.

…………………………………………………………………

The three of them are sitting on her bunk. Kara is reading Paya her favorite book; Lee is smiling and making funny faces at her when Kara isn't looking. She wants to stop time right here, with all of them happy. Her teddy bear is in the crook of her arm, and she feels warm and safe. She knows it's only a moment, the peace among them will end soon, but she clings to it while she can.

"Kara? Can I ask you something?" She twiddles her blanket between her thumb and fingers.

"Anything." Kara closes the book and lays it in her lap.

"I don't remember my mom, much. I called Shevon and Raisa Shevon and Raisa." She takes a deep breath. "If it's just us, you and me and Lee, can I call you mommy?"

Kara feels her eyes fill up. She nods. "Yes. I think that would be very nice." She hugs her tightly, and then tucks the covers under her chin. "Love you, Paya."

"I love you, too, Mommy. Goodnight."

As they go to leave, she sits bolt upright and grabs them both. "They're here," she whispers. Kara springs to action; hitting the emergency button they installed to summon the marines. They hear gunfire in the hall, followed by the unmistakable sound of centurions. Lee grabs both his and Kara's pistols and hands hers to her. She scoops up Paya in her free hand and takes her to the kitchen area.

"Stay down here, in front of the refrigerator. Don't move until I tell you it's okay." Paya sits with her back to the cool door, facing the wall. Her teddy bear is tight in her arms.

"It's all going to be okay, Mommy. I know it." Kara grins at her before joining Lee at either side of the front door. They nod at each other before throwing it open, firing into the corridor at the two toasters approaching them. The explosive rounds shear through the metal and both topple where they stand. Four more turn the corner and are quickly dispatched, with help from the arrival of the marines.

"All clear. All centurions have been eliminated," one of the marines speaks into his COM. Kara takes a deep breath and lowers her weapon. Lee smiles at her and lowers his gun as well. Kara hands him her pistol as she goes to Paya.

"Its okay now, sweetie. We got 'em." She scoops the girl up into a hug. "We're all okay." She looks over at Lee, who is talking to a Marine. Her blood runs cold when he turns to face her. "Simon," she whispers, as he raises his weapon towards her. His left hand shoots out and catches Lee on the side of his face, knocking him out, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I'm afraid that's not the case, Starbuck." He fires, and she sees the stuffing fly before she hits the ground.

………………………………………………………………………

The funeral is attended by nearly everyone on the Galactica. One by one, the crewmembers share their stories of her. No one tries to hide or suppress his or her tears.

Lee and Kara sit in the front row, clinging to each other. They don't seem to notice that anyone else is there, as they hold on with everything they have. After the service, they remain there, until the Priestess kneels before them.

"It's time." She takes them by the hand and leads them out of the bay.

…………………………………………………………………

"How are you doing, Kara?" Laura puts a cup of tea in front of the pilot. Kara looks up at her, irritation on her face. Her shoulder is thickly bandaged, and her arm is in a sling. Lee is sitting next to her; both of them look like they haven't slept in days.

"How do you think I'm doing?" she snaps.

"I'm sorry it has to be like this." She pauses. "But you know why."

"We can protect her. I don't care how many frakking toasters they want to send."

"No, you can't. As long as she is here, they will come after her. As long as she is having these visions, they will want her dead. We can't protect her forever, for her sake and for ours. That's why she needs to go away. There is an herb she can take to suppress her visions until she is old enough to deal with them. She won't remember any of this, when she wakes up, she'll be on another ship, with another name. There are people who will look out for her there, she'll be very well taken care of." Kara is still angry. "Captain Thrace, the cylons think Paya is dead. The majority of the crew thinks the same thing. This is the only way we can protect her. Both of you know that, at least on some level."

"Can we say goodbye to her?" It is the first he's spoken.

"She's still asleep. Until her wound heals, the doctor wants to keep her sedated. But you can see her. She's in my quarters." She nods toward the door behind her. She opens it up and lets them in, then retreats, closing the door behind her.

Kara looks at her, sleeping peacefully. Her blonde curls have been cut and colored a soft brown. She can see the outline of the bandage on her abdomen under her pajama top. "How are we ever going to live without her, Lee?" She leans down and whispers in the girl's ear. "We love you, Paya." They both kiss her cheek, and then sit at her side until it's time for her shuttle to leave.

……………………………………………………………………

**Epilogue**

"Take your vitamin, Allie." Her mom holds it out to her with a glass of milk. "How was school today?"

"Good. I got an A on my spelling test." She swallows the foul pill and shivers. "We watched the CAP fly by in science."

"Have you thought about what you want for your birthday dinner? A girl only turns nine once."

"Can we have spaghetti?"

"Sure. Now go wash up. You have homework to do."

Allie skips off to the head, ignoring the twinge of pain under her ribs. Her mom told her she got the scar from an accident she had when she was little. She doesn't remember it at all, but she figures that's a good thing, considering how big the scar is. It must have hurt a lot. She finishes washing her hands and face as her little brother starts pounding on the door. She opens the door and grins at him, raising an eyebrow. "It's all yours, pest." She ruffles his hair and walks off to her room to study.

She loves her family, but when she is asleep, she dreams about another one; a mom with short blonde hair and green eyes, and a dad with eyes as blue as hers. She's sure it's just her imagination getting carried away with her.

**The End**


End file.
